Anson Engine Museum
Coordinates: 53°20′53″N 2°05′24″W / 53.348°N 2.090°W
The Anson Engine Museum is situated on the site of the old Anson colliery in Poynton, Cheshire, England. It is the work of Les Cawley and Geoff Challinor who began collecting and showing stationary engines for a hobby.
Today the award winning museum has one of the largest collection of engines in Europe and attracts stationary engine enthusiasts from around the globe.
The museum site also includes a working blacksmith's smithy and carpentry shop and a café.
The Anson Engine Museum is situated on the site of the old Anson colliery in Poynton, Cheshire, England.
Coal is found outcropping to the east of Towers Road, Poynton which corresponds to the line of the Red Rock Fault; that is at the surface. It has been worked from early times. The earliest record to be found is a lease dated 28 February 1589, which talks of the "Coal pit at Wourthe lately occupied by George Finche". This was originally worked on the surface then by shallow shafts, and later by deeper shafts with waterwheels or steam engines operating pumps and winding gear. In the later 18th century, the Warrens of Poynton co-operated with the Leghs of Lyme to work the Cannel and Sheepwash seams at Norbury Hollow. Output in 1789 was over 23,586 tonnes (26,000 tons) rising to a peak production of 221,056 tonnes (243,673 tons) in 1859. The Poynton Colleries were substantial, and the coal rights were held by the Warren family who leased them the Wrights and the Claytons. In 1826 the estate passed to George John Venables Vernon, 4th Lord Vernon who decided in 1832 to manage the mines himself. In 1856 it was estimated that there was a reserve of 15,163,027 tons which would supply 245,000 tons for 61 years. This was to be supplied by the Park Round Pit, and the Park Oval Pit both working the Four Foot and Five Foot Seam and the Anson Pit and the Nelson Pit which were working the Accommodation Seam. The closure of the Norbury Pits resulted in a constant ingress of water. In 1926 production was down to 80,146 tons. The collieries closed on 30 August 1935; 250 men were made redundant.
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